Unflinching, Untouchable, Strength
by KaliaProphet
Summary: Commander Kalia Shepard's journey from child to hero (from pregame-ME1, more in separate stories). She finds strength, resolve, and love through the events in her life. Mostly cannon, Mostly Paragon, Colonist/ War Hero, femshep. Relationships: OC, Nihlus/ Shepard, Shenko, Shakarian. Most characters belong to Bioware. I am re-writing everything and deleting the old chapters!


**Unflinching, Untouchable, Strength**

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**A/N: I decided that my chapters were too long so I will be writing shorter chapters. Again there is not much action in this chapter the focus is biotics. Please give me some feed back. :)  
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**Chapter 5: Studied**

The water was cool on Kalia's feet; the waves broke into small ripples dragging the sand out from under her feet as the water receded each time. There was crab like creatures scurrying about on the beach as she watched them. Unfortunately she was not there to enjoy herself Dr. Gileen and Dr. Sey had an afternoon of exercises planned out for her.

"Today we test your control and stamina." Dr. Gileen started.

"So you brought me here so I don't break things; good call." Kalia smirked. Dr. Sey was glad to see her relaxed and joking.

"Well, you do seem to get upset about breaking The Primarch's stuff." The asari patted Kalia on the arm with a lighthearted grin.

"What do you have planned for me today?" Kalia grimaced thinking of a grueling day of work for her.

"First I want you to meditate exactly as you did when you broke the mirror. I am curious to see what you did. Dr. Sey will take readings." Gileen directed. The asari snuck a quick glance at her partner, the salarian blinked rapidly in response.

Kalia shrugged, "Okay sure, let me find a dry shady spot."

She wandered over near the silver tree line finding a cool spot in the shade. Sitting with her back to the trees she crossed her legs, sitting up straight, placing her arms in the same position as before. Kalia meditated on the sphere shape as she had done in the workout room. Sure enough she could feel the blue field envelop her. She moved her hands close together with a small gap between them and as she did Kalia could feel the sphere take form. This time she was determined to not lose control as she had before.

Dr. Gileen and Dr. Sey quickly exchanged glances silently communicating their thoughts to each other. The salarian was taking readings and recording everything.

"Try and remain focused." Dr. Gileen encouraged.

Kalia kept her eyes closed as she spoke, "This is where I lost it last time. I opened my eyes to look at it and when I did I lost my concentration."

"This is a very difficult technique and I am surprised that you have managed it at all." Dr. Sey's voice barely above a whisper as his fingers flew over his omni-tool making notes in the readings.

"Dr. Sey is correct. I am impressed. Let me talk you through this so you can control it in the future." Dr. Gileen's tone was even and confident. She quickly took in everything about what Kalia's biotics were doing based on her experience.

"I want you to open your eyes while retaining your focus. Control your thoughts and don't be distracted by your surroundings." The asari instructed calmly.

Kalia slowly opened her eyes maintaining mental control of her thoughts. She could see the sphere between her hands, feeling the energy evenly flow to maintain the sphere as she focused on not losing control.

"Now, focus on pulling the energy back into yourself. Think of it like dimming the lights, but instead dim the energy until it dissipates back into your hands." Gileen continued to tutor her on how to manage her biotics in this instance. Her tone was even and encouraging while her face was dominated by experience and confidence.

Kalia watched as the light between her fingers faded into nothingness a small crackle sounded as the aura disappeared.

"I did it." Kalia said in shock as a halfhearted smile crossed her face.

"Yes, you did. Your control is impressive given your lack of training. I was expecting you to be less disciplined." Dr. Gileen admitted.

"I learned discipline and control through Taekwondo." Kalia explained.

"Taekwondo? My translator is not helping me with that." Dr. Gileen mused.

"Oh, it is a human hand-to-hand martial skill that requires control and discipline." Kalia clarified.

"I see, you have surprisingly diverse skills." Dr. Gileen noted. She gave Kalia another appraising glance.

"You learn and adapt in interesting ways. I am fascinated at the way you apply information from other learned stills to unrelated skills." Dr. Sey interjected.

Kalia just remained silent while the two doctors took time to confer. She grabbed an energy bar and her bottle of water and headed off to play in the shallow surf.

"Let me look over your data quickly." The asari poked Dr. Sey in the arm playfully as she looked over his shoulder at his omni-tool.

"Preliminary readings indicate sustained output levels." Dr. Sey pointed to the graph.

"I am interested in the field strength. Interesting, at that strength, for that length of time, at those levels, that's impressive." Dr. Gileen's face lit up.

"We have many more tests to perform. The results are encouraging so far." The salarian grinned.

"How is her biometrics looking?" Her eyes narrowed as she viewed the chart.

"She is healthy and fit. That helps greatly with her stamina." Dr. Sey acknowledged.

"Admittedly I am unaccustomed to human physiology and human biotics are a new occurrence even for them." Her hand was poised over her omni-tool as she quickly typed some notes while she spoke.

"I think we need to have her do more specific tasks to get a better idea where her strengths and weaknesses are." Gileen's confidence came through n her voice.

"Agreed." Dr. Sey nodded.

* * *

Kalia wandered up and down the beach enjoying the heat, breeze, and cool water. The sand was a sparkling pale pink with a slight silver shimmer. She looked at the shells that were sliver, purple, and blue. They had a metallic sheen and their shapes we not like anything on Mindoir or pictures of creatures from Earth. She marveled at their spiky texture and various shapes ranging from oblong to star shaped. Inwardly she thought it was funny that most of the fauna from Palaven was spiky or textured in some way much like the Turians themselves. She found a spiral shaped shell with rounded bumps the shell was a lavender colour with the bumps being silver. She began to absently use her biotics to hold back the water so she could collect some larger shells without getting her capris wet. As she collected them she put them in the small bag that her energy bars were in. As she looked around she noted that Palaven did have the most stunningly silver landscape of any place that she had ever seen.

Dr. Gileen observed Kalia as she played with the shells noting her experimenting with her biotics as she gathered shells.

"Dr. Sey are you getting this?" she nudged him gently.

"Yes, I have readings and video." He blinked quickly in mild annoyance.

The asari put her arm around him and he returned the gesture as they both watched Kalia.

"She seems so happy in spite of everything." Dr. Gileen mused.

"Yes, now shall we ruin her fun and do some more testing?" teased.

"I suppose we should." She said waving Kalia back over to them. Kalia meandered back to them with her bag now full of shells. Kalia looked at the doctors expectantly.

"I have e few exercises that I want you to try. I will explain and show you what I want you to do, okay?" Dr. Gileen started.

"Sure." Her answer was short and to the point.

"First I want to see if you can make a barrier. Most beginners can do that, but they lack stamina and tire quickly. I want you to concentrate on making your biotic field around you expand slightly out and make it strong like steel so that nothing can get through it. Like this." Dr. Gileen showed her how she made a field. Kalia watched with interest trying to figure out what to concentrate on to make such a field for herself.

"What is my mental focus?" Her voice was meek as she asked for clarification.

"Well think of a protective bubble or wall completely surrounding you." She suggested to Kalia.

Kalia took a few steps back from the doctors as she concentrated she felt the fizz of the biotic field around her. She concentrated on the bubble of steel and made a barrier around herself, but since she made a bubble instead of a dome she floated slightly above the sand. Holding her concentration she noticed that she was about 10 centimeters off of the ground when she looked. The doctors were pouring over the readings and taking notes.

Finally Dr. Sey spoke up, "While I have seen biotics used that way I have never seen someone do that to themselves." He didn't even bother to hide his smirk.

"Many older asari have mastered using this to break their fall when jumping from high places or being tossed by other biotics." Dr. Gileen seemed surprised by this display.

"I think it was a misinterpretation of what you wanted me to do more than me being advanced." Kalia glowered as she tried to figure it out, "If I had made a dome instead of a bubble I think that would have been more what you wanted me to do." She seemed to be thinking it through. She shifted the bubble to a dome around her; her feet touched the ground as she did so.

"This is what you wanted, right?" Kalia asked still holding the barrier up. Dr. Sey threw a couple of shells at her barrier to check that is was working as it should.

"Um, yes, how are you feeling?" Dr. Sey asked as he looked over his readings.

"I am fine why?" She answered quickly as her right brow quirked upwards.

"You are still holding the barrier." Dr. Gileen commented, "Most lack the stamina to hold it for that long in the beginning. Keep going, I want to see how long you can hold it." She added.

She held it for about five more minutes before she began to tire. Then Kalia lowered the barrier with an uneventful zap. She looked at the two doctors unsure of what they were thinking. The doctors exchanged knowing glances again each reading the other's body language in a silent conversation.

"What's next?" Kalia asked cheerfully.

"Are you feeling taxed?" Dr. Gileen asked with some concern. Dr. Sey continued to scan Kalia.

"No apparent stress. Proceed if you wish." Dr. Sey assured his partner.

"Okay then next we will focus on moving or throwing things." Interest danced across Dr. Gileen's face as she began to explain.

"We can use shells from the beach for this exercise. I want you to make a field around the shell like when you made your barrier as a bubble. The field strength does not need to be as strong, just enough to lift the object. Like this." Dr. Gileen demonstrated by gently lifting a small shell off of the ground with her biotics and pulling it towards herself.

Kalia easily imitated the asari.

"Good, now throw it as far into the water as you can with your biotics." She instructed Kalia.

Kalia grinned as she biotically winged the shell several meters out into the water.

Dr. Sey whistled, "I think she got that pretty easily."

Gileen looked over his shoulder at the readings and nodded.

"Just for fun let's see if you can lift something heavier." Dr. Sey said playfully.

"How about that rock? It looks a bit on the heavy side." Dr. Gileen suggested with a wink. The rock was as big as a krogan and if Kalia had to guess, it was probably as heavy as one.

Kalia gave them a smirk, "I'm game." She answered glibly.

Before they knew it she had the rock floating about one meter above the sand.

"Impressive, how far into the water can you throw it?" Dr. Sey seemed to dare her.

She hurled the rock into the water with as much strength as she could muster. It sailed for about two and a half or three meters at a relatively high speed before splashing into the water. The doctors exchanged looks yet again.

"Interesting." Dr. Sey muttered almost inaudibly.

"Kalia, grab yourself another energy bar and some juice. Take a break while we discuss these readings." Dr. Sey dismissed her as he viewed his notes.

* * *

Kalia took off towards the water again. There was a turian girl about her own age on the beach walking through the shallow water. Kalia stopped realizing that she hadn't met anyone here yet aside from Sharmid's staff. The turian regarded her with curiosity; her mandibles giving a slight twitch.

"Hello" Kalia greeted her.

The turian eyed her cautiously, "What is a human doing on the beaches of Cipritine?" Her sub-harmonics were more curious than rude.

"Oh, I guess that would seem odd. I live here, believe it or not."Kalia answered without much thought.

"Oh, really, I wasn't aware of any humans taking up permanent residence in Cipritine." She was polite to Kalia.

"My name is Kalia." She grabbed the girl's right shoulder with her right hand in a typical turian greeting.

She seemed surprised, but Kalia couldn't be sure why.

The girl instinctively returned the gesture, "I am Avally Tridion."

Kalia noted her lavender markings they almost looked like a butterfly. Avally looked at Kalia's face and seemed thoughtful.

"Human, I don't mean to be rude, but why do you have Fedorian markings?" Avally asked bluntly.

"I am a member of Clan Fedorian. My clan acceptance celebration is this Lunatari." Kalia explained.

Avally looked at her again and recognition washed over her face.

"You are the Shepard girl that has come to live with The Primarch!" She blurted.

"Yeah, that would be me." She cringed knowing that the news coverage made her more famous than she wanted to be.

"You speak our language, know our customs, and are the first human to be accepted into a turian clan." Her sub-vocals chirped with excitement.

"I think it is cool, but my parents seem to be less than pleased about the arrangement." Avally confessed as they waded in the shallow surf together.

"I have received my fair share of threats from both humans and turians." Kalia admitted with a sigh.

"That is sad; both races are credited with being progressive." She gave Kalia a sympathetic look as her mandibles slacked.

"Yeah, but pioneers never have it easy do they?" Kalia giggled.

"No, I guess not." Her mandibles flared nervously.

"If it isn't too personal, what brought you here?" Avally asked, her sub-vocals still aflutter with excitement.

"Um, well, did Mindoir ever make the news around here?" Her voice was sullen as she asked.

"That human colony that got raided by batarians? Yeah, I heard about that." Avally answered her mandibles flattened against her face in disgust.

"Yeah, I survived and am now in the Primarch's care." Her face suddenly pale as she spoke.

"By the Spirits, I am so sorry." The girl's sub-vocals dropped in sadness.

Kalia waved a hand in a manner that was dismissive to a turian.

"I am doing fine. Sharmid is good to me and Lendris is always there when I need to talk." Kalia reassured the girl.

"You are the human that is dating Lendris? I thought that was a rumor." Avally nudged Kalia playfully.

"No, we have known each other for a long time. Somewhere along the way we became more than friends." She admitted in a shy tone.

"Okay, most turian girls will not be happy about that. Lendris is good looking, from a good family, and would be considered a good candidate for bonding." Her tone was hard for Kalia to read and the sub-vocals were unfamiliar as well.

"I am aware of that. He has gotten into more than one argument because of me and I have definitely come to blows with at least one human and one turian over it." The resolve in Kalia voice had no need for sub-vocals to be understood.

Avally giggled, "I can't see you taking down a turian."

"I may look squishy, but I am quick, flexible, and know how to take down larger opponents. Both fights were with males and I won without Lendris' help both times." Kalia stated with pride.

"Remind me not to piss you off." Avally giggled.

"Here Lendris took a picture because he was so amused." She called the holo up on her omni-tool of the pinned turian and her holding him down. Avally laughed because it seemed so preposterous. Kalia's omni-tool beeped interrupting them.

"I have to go, my break is over. Here is my contact info you should come to my celebration." Kalia's fingers flew over her omni-tool as she sent her info to Avally's omni-tool.

"It sounds fun. I'll see you later." Avally called over her shoulder as she continued walking away from Kalia.

* * *

Kalia waved at Dr. Gileen to let her know she was on her way back. She quickly ate the energy bar washing it down with the juice as she made her way back to the tree line where the doctors were.

"Did you make a friend?" Dr. Sey asked.

"Maybe, she seemed nice enough." She seemed to ponder as she answered.

"I think Ms. Lang will be happy that you are making friends." Dr. Sey stated dryly.

Kalia rolled her eyes as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, like I care what she thinks." The venom in her voice came through loud and clear.

"Moving right along," Dr. Gileen quickly changed the subject back to the topic of biotics, "We are here for biotic analysis."

"So what else do you have planned for me today?" Kalia inquired shifting back to a more civil tone.

"We need more time to analyze the information that we collected today." Dr. Sey informed her.

"We would like add a biotic monitoring device to your omni-tool. We need information on your flare ups. When they happen, what the output is, and how your physiology is affected at the time of the flare up." Dr. Gileen explained hoping that Kalia would agree.

"If it will help than, I agree." She tried to keep her voice even, but she was beginning to feel encroached upon.

"I promise that we will only take necessary readings and this is less intrusive than me following you around." Dr. Sey reassured her as he fidgeted with her omni-tool.

"How long do you plan on monitoring me this way?" Her inquiry came across as flatly resigned.

"I think two weeks should give us the data that we need to proceed." The asari patted Kalia's arm realizing that they were being very intrusive in their study of her biotics.

"I promise that this will be worth it in the end. Most people are not lucky enough to have custom implants. Given our preliminary findings you are going to be tough to beat once you have training and proper implants." Dr. Sey told her in an effort to mitigate her uneasiness with being studied so closely.

Her eyes looked back and forth between the doctors judging them to be honest with her; Kalia just shrugged.

"I am not used to being so closely scrutinized. I always seem to attract attention for reasons that are beyond my control." Kalia frowned and her brow furrowed slightly.

* * *

**Consult **

"Sharmid, I think Kalia has great potential as a biotic. We still need to sort through the data, but the preliminary readings suggest that she is going to rival asari commandos in ability." Dr. Gileen called up a rough graph on her omni-tool.

Sharmid leaned forward to examine the graph briefly. He was unsure what all of the numbers meant.

"You are going to have to finish your study and send me some final numbers so I can look things over. How close are you to being able to design implants for her?" Sharmid asked looking at the doctors expectantly.

"Well we are still gathering data for at least two more weeks then, I should be able to start design work." Dr. Sey spoke distractedly his hands rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he crunched the numbers in his head, "Maybe another two weeks after that."

"I suggest that you consider starting her biotic training as soon as possible. Most biotics require implants and amps to do anything useful; that is not the case with Kalia. Here is the contact information of an instructor with a very proven track record. Cal N'dalli is an ex-commando and she specializes in teaching high potential candidates privately." The asari doctor gave her professional recommendation.

"I'll look into it." Sharmid said taking in her advice.

* * *

After spending the better part of her day at the beach with the doctors, Kalia just wanted to take a nap. Actively using biotics was as draining as the asari had warned her it would be. She climbed up on to her bed and promptly fell asleep. Hazy nondescript nightmares caused her to toss and turn. The new program on her omni-tool took readings as her biotics flared. She was awakened from her fitful sleep by a beep on her omni-tool. Groggily she rubbed her eyes looking at the time; she had only been out for forty five minutes. Kalia hit the button and realized that Lendris sent her a message.

* * *

_Kalia,_

_I will be there for your celebration. I have leave for the entire weekend. I will arrive on Nitar in the afternoon; I would like to take you out for the evening when I get there. Think of what you want to do. I love you._

_-Lendris _

* * *

_Lendris,_

_I am so pleased that you are going to make it. I miss you so much. Believe it or not your grandfather has kept me so busy that I haven't had time to do anything around town aside from some shopping. Maybe it would be better for you to pick something for us to do. So long as I get to spend time with you it will be great._

_-Kalia_


End file.
